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Radiotherapy scheduling using prime numbers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 August 2013

J. McLaughlin  and
L. Marignol
J. McLaughlin*
Affiliation:
School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
L. Marignol
Affiliation:
Applied Radiation Therapy Trinity, Discipline of Radiation Therapy, Trinity Centre for Health Sciences, St James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
*
Correspondence to: Dr Jonathan McLaughlin, School of Mathematics, Statistics and Applied Mathematics, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland. Tel: +353 86 1014777. E-mail: jonny_mclaughlin@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Background

The optimal delivery of radiation therapy to achieve maximum tumour cell kill while limiting damage to normal tissues underlies any radiation therapy treatment protocol. The biological effectiveness of radiation therapy is closely related to cellular reproductive activity. The scheduling of dose fraction to a time where actively dividing cells are at their most radiosensitive stage (RS) has potential to enhance therapeutic efficacy.

Materials and methods

A prime number is a natural number >1 whose only divisors are 1 and the number itself.

Purpose

We propose that the use of prime numbers in the scheduling of radiotherapy treatments could maximise biological effectiveness by facilitating the irradiation of the greatest number of cells at their most RS stage, and ultimately improve the therapeutic ratio of radiation therapy.

Conclusions

The theoretical clinical implementation of this concept into the scheduling of radiation therapy is discussed.

Keywords

prime numbersradiationscheduling
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice , Volume 13 , Issue 3 , September 2014 , pp. 317 - 321
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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